Golf-club



No. 626 ,347. Patented June 6, I899.

W. L. SMITH.

GOLF CLUB.

(Application filed Nov. 4, 1898.}

WITNESSES:

, INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNrThn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVALTER L. SMITH, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

GOLF-CLU B.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,347, dated June 6, 1899.

Application filed November 4, 1898. Serial No. 695,436. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern;

Be it known that LWALTER L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Ghemnng and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Golf-Clubs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to improvements in those clubs used in playing the game of golf which serve for making approach or place shots when near the putting-green, technically known as lofters, mashies, and the like. In clubs of this type as now formed in making lofting shots the ball after striking the ground has a tendency to roll forward, this forward roll of the ball often being so great as to lose for the player the position sought by him in making the shot.

The object of my invention is to provide a club by the use of which the forward roll of the ball after a loft-ing shot will be substantially prevented and whereby the player in making a drop-shot of this nature by properly manipulating the club will be enabled to place the ball in the desired position, with the assurance that it will remain practically in such position after striking the ground. I attain this object by providing the blade of the club with one or more longitudinal shoulders running along the lower and forward edge of the blade, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a club embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a cross-section, of a modified form of blade in which but one shoulder is employed.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

A represents the blade of the club, which may be set at any proper and desirable angle to the handle.

15 and 0 represent two shoulders running along the bottom and forward edge of the blade A. In Fig. 2 a ball is represented in broken lines in position to be struck by the It will be seen upon reference to this club.

figure that the ball will be given an initial stroke by the shoulder B, which stroke will give the ball a backward twirl, this twirling impulse being accentuated in turn by the second shoulder C, after which the ball will be struck by the blade of the club and given the forward impulse-that is to say, by striking a ball with a blade of this nature it will be driven forward with a backward twirl, so that when it drops upon the ground this backward twirl will oppose the tendency to roll forward and the ball will remain in practically the position into which it has dropped. In other words, the ball is first given a stroke similar to that in making a draw shot in billiards, after which it is given the forward impulse by the blade proper of the club.

I have illustrated the blade as provided with two shoulders, as I prefer this arrangement for the reason that frequently a ball will lie up from the ground, so that if one shoulderonly were used it might pass beneath the ball without striking it. With the two shoulders, however, if the first fails to reach the ball the second will strike it and produce the backward twirl. I may, however, use but the one shoulder 13, as shown in Fig. 3, and also more than the two shoulders may be employed. I do not confine myself to the number of these shoulders, and neither do I confine myself to any particular type of blade to be used in combination with these shoulders.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a golf-club, the combination with the blade of the club of one or more shoulders running longitudinally across the lower and forward edge of the blade for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig nature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER L. SMITH.

Witnesses:

A. S. DIVEN, O. TRACEY STAGG. 

